Employment Income Treatment – General

Employment income is assessable on accrual basis; that is, over the period it has been earned and become due for payment. The time the Income is received is, therefore, immaterial. Income from employment or services rendered is chargeable to tax under section 3(2)(a)(ii) of the Income Tax Act. This is expounded by section 5(2) which spells out that gains or profits from employment includes: wages, salary, payment in lieu of leave, fees, commission, bonus, gratuity, subsistence, travelling, entertainment or any other allowance received in respect of employment or services rendered. Where an amount is received in respect of employment or a service rendered in a year of income different from the year of accrual, such income is deemed to be income of the year of accrual. However, there is a provision which states that where the year of accrual is earlier than 4 years prior to the year of receipt, the income is to be treated as that of year of income which expired 5 years prior to the year in which the income is received or prior to the year of income in which employment ceased.